May 2023

This Year at the Cannes Film Market 

This year’s Cannes Film Market runs from 16-24 May and features 12,500+ professionals from 121 countries, 4,000+ films and projects, and 100+ industry conferences and events.  

Find out about some of the Kiwis travelling to Cannes and the busy NZFC programme here .

Funding Decisions 

At the May 2023 NZFC Board meeting a conditional offer was extended to feature film Joika, a NZ-Poland official co-production.

You can find out about other recent successful projects, filmmakers, and more funding decisions here.

Funding Deadlines 

Extended Screen Production Recovery Fund 

The Extended Screen Production Recovery Fund remains open to applications from eligible productions that have been affected by a COVID-19 event (as defined in the Guidelines).  Applications can be submitted up until 31 July 2023.  

We advise you to apply as soon as possible after a COVID-19 Event given that funding is limited. 

Please ensure you register your intention to apply via email to screenrecovery@nzfilm.co.nz and carefully read the Guidelines for the Fund before making your application. 

Seed & Seed Advanced Grants 

The New Zealand Writers Guild received its highest number of applications for Seed and Seed Advanced Grants to date.  At the deadline on 18 April 2023, 106 applications for Seed and 32 for Seed Advanced were received. 

Assessment is underway and successful recipients will be announced 16 June 2023. 

Early Development & Documentary Development Funding 

The current round of Early Development and Documentary Development Funding is due to be announced on 15 May.  

The next deadline for applications is 1pm Monday 29 May.  

Industry Organisation Core Support Fund

The Industry Organisation Core Support fund is now open to applications. Applications can be submitted up until 30 May 2023. Please read the Guidelines for the Fund before making your application.

Feel free to get in touch before making an application, as we can offer helpful advice and guidance. Contact Nia Phipps (Talent Development Executive) at nia.phipps@nzfilm.co.nz.

In Production 

The following NZFC-supported productions have commenced principal photography: 

• Bookworm 

• Grafted 

Shooting locations include Waitaha Canterbury and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.  

International News 

Aotearoa New Zealand Famil Experience 

Last month NZFC International Attractions delivered the Aotearoa New Zealand Famil experience for a group of senior decision-making physical/post executives from 20th Century, Blumhouse, Legendary Entertainment, Netflix and Searchlight Pictures.  

Supported by Air New Zealand, the tour included industry introductions and presentations, studio visits and location recces, hosted in collaboration with regional film offices. This year the itinerary took the executives from Los Angeles to Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Queenstown.

Image below:  Famil group in Dunedin  

Wētā Workshop Keeping Things Practical for the Industry 

The NZFC was privileged to co-partner with Walt Disney Studios and Wētā Workshop to offer a ‘Keeping Things Practical’ Workshop. Find out more about the knowledge sharing workshop and hear from some of the participants here.

NZFC Spotlight - Taratoa Stappard 

In 2019, Taratoa Stappard had a short film showing at the Māoriland Film Festival.  During the event the NZFC Talent Development team ran a pitch competition. Taratoa won the competition and used the funds to develop his pitch idea into what would become Taumanu (Reclaim), a 22 min short that just played in Aspen Film’s Shortsfest selections. 

Taratoa is currently developing his first feature, Mārama a Māori Gothic thriller, set in Victorian England, 1859. The project was selected for the 2023 Berlinale Co-Production Market and the NZFC supported Taratoa & Sweetshop and Green's Rouzie Hassanova to attend. 

The NZFC caught up with him and to ask him about his filmmaking journey. You can read the article here.

"The world is yours and it wants to hear from you. There’s no need to emulate stories or styles that you think might ‘play’ internationally. Craft stories that could only belong to you, a filmmaker from Aotearoa. The more specific and personal your story is, the more likely it will find an audience and further your career".  Taratoa

Images below left: Taratoa directing Below right: Taumau twins & Te Pakanga 

Festival and Market News 

FESTIVAL NEWS

Stylebender, directed by Zoe McIntosh, produced by Fraser Brown, Leela Menon and Tom Blackwell; will have its world premiere in competition at Tribeca Film Festival, 7-18 June. (Image above: Israel Adesanya from Stylebender) 

Bad Behaviour, written and directed by Alice Englert, produced by Desray Armstrong and Molly Hallam, will screen in Official Competition of the 70th Sydney Film Festival, 7-18 June.

Red, White & Brass, directed by Damon Fepulea'i, written by Halaifonua Finau and Damon Fepulea'i, produced by Georgina Conder, Morgan Waru and Halaifonua Finau, will have its Australian premiere at Sydney Film Festival.

The Power of the Dog, and the digitally restored An Angel at My Table, will screen as part of Sydney Film Festival’s Jane Campion Retrospective.

The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Philipps, will screen at Rio Cinema in London, presented by Deeper Into Movies & Fire Records, 17 June. Martin Philipps will introduce the film and participate in a post screening Q&A session.

The 18th edition of Doc Edge Festival launches on 24 May, with an incredible programme of documentary films from around the world, including films from Aotearoa’s emerging and established directors. Doc Edge takes place in Auckland 24 May-5 June, Wellington 7-18 June and online 19 June-9 July, with the full programme and tickets available here.

Wairarapa Film Festival’s Autumn screening programme takes place in Masterton 25-28 May, including feature films Shut Eye and Te Rua, and short film Turangawaewae – A Place to Stand. The full programme of New Zealand films can be viewed here.

We Are Still Here is screening in the cINeDIGENOUS programme of Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), 11-21 May. Fellow NZ-Australia official co-production, Gloriavale, is also screening in SIFF selection.

Four feature films from Aotearoa New Zealand are screening at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), 4-13 May. Dame Valerie Adams: More Than Gold, written and directed by Briar March, produced by Leanne Pooley; Red, White & Brass, Whetu Marama: Bright Star and Kāinga.

Kāinga, is selected to screen as part of Pacific Islanders in Communication (PIC) Pacific Showcase, at Centre for Asian American Media’s CAAMFest, 11-21 May.

Waru, screened at KAVI Audiovisual Institute of Finland, as part of the 2023 Spring Film Series in partnership with Skábmagovat Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival, 12 and 15 April.

Fiona Clark: Unafraid, screened at Wicked Queer: The Boston LGBT Film Festival, 31 March-9 April.

Punch, screened in International Panorama Competition of BIF&AST Bari International Film Festival, 24 March-1 April.

We Are Still Here, screened at International Film Festival of Ottawa, 8-19 March.

SHORTS

Rustling, written and directed by Tom Furniss and produced by Morgan Waru, will have its New York premiere in the Shorts: It’s All Relative programme of Tribeca Film Festival, 7-18 June.

New Zealand director Nathan Morris' short film My Eyes Are Up Here, written by Aminder Virdee and Arthur Meek (NZ), produced by Katie Dolan, Vanessa Muir and Naomi Wallwork (NZ), is also selected to screen at Tribeca Film Festival, in the Shorts: Duets programme. The film will then screen at Sundance Film Festival: London 2023 in the UK Shorts programme, 6-9 July.

Nai/Milk, directed by Michelle Ang, written by Alex Chu and Michelle Ang, produced by Roxy Shih, will have its world premiere at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, 4-13 May. Also screening are The Voyager’s Legacy, written and directed by Bailey Poching, produced by Libby Hakaraia, Matilda Poasa, Madeleine Hakaraia de Young; The Politics of Toheroa Soup, written and directed by Tiana Trego Hall, produced by Libby Hakaraia, Matilda Poasa, Madeleine Hakaraia de Young; Find Where I Belong, directed by Kahu Kaiha, produced by Carrisse Utai; Street Lights, written and directed by Te Mahara Tamehana, produced by Libby Hakaraia, Matilda Poasa, Madeleine Hakaraia de Young; Eyes and Ears, written and directed by Tahuaroa Ohia, produced by Jess Berghan Page, Libby Hakaraia; and The Retrieval, directed by Aree Kapa, written by Matilda Poasa, produced by Libby Hakaraia, Matilda Poasa, Madeleine Hakaraia de Young.

The Ballad of Maddog Quinn, written, directed and produced by Matt Inns screened at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, 11-23 April, Les Intergalactiques Sci-Fi Festival in Lyon, 13-18 April and Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival in Brazil, 13-30 April.

Taumanu, written and directed by Taratoa Stappard, produced by Sharlene George and Gal Greenspan, screened at Aspen Shortsfest, 10-16 April. 

CONGRATULATONS 

Linda Niccol's Poppy has been picked up by Showtime for streaming in the US on the Showtime and Paramount+Showtime platforms in addition to scheduled screenings on premium television network Showtime TV. 

Industry News

New Zealand is FIN Partners spotlight region for 2023/2024. The Fin Partner’s Co-Production & Co-Financing Market and Conference is a three-day event in September in Halifax, Canada.

“We are delighted that New Zealand has been selected as the 2023 and 2024 spotlight country for FIN Partners. A two-year spotlight on New Zealand as a co-production partner—with our talented, diverse, and award-winning screen sector and filmmakers—is a fantastic opportunity to enable collaborative relationships on outstanding projects with truly global appeal,” says Chris Payne, COO (Acting) & Head of International Relations at the New Zealand Film Commission.

Industry registrations and project submissions opened 9 May 2023.

For more information and to apply, see the link here: https://www.finfestival.ca/about-fin-partners

NZFC Ins and Outs

Development and Production said farewell to Premium Fund Investment Executive Sue Rogers.

Stella Inkpen was welcomed in a fixed term role as D&P Team Administrator, while Joel Rudolph is seconded as our Screen Production Recovery Fund Co-ordinator. 

The Business Technology Services team welcomes Natalie Aitken to the team. She joins as our Business Systems Support Analyst.

We also farewell Katie Chilton-Towle, our Senior Office Administrator.

Thanks for keeping up with what's going on at the NZFC. Got a suggestion? Email us at feedback@nzfilm.co.nz. 

Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa,

The NZFC Team